


Sign Language Guide

by superna_tau_ral91



Series: Hands [1]
Category: The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, American Sign Language, Architectural Designer!Newt, Boba, British Sign Language, Corny title is kinda corny, Deaf Character(s), Gen, Graphic Designer!Thomas, Korean Sign Language, M/M, Minor Deaf Character(s), Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Original Male Character(s) - Freeform, Sign Language, this is a bit of a slow burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-07
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-08-13 19:14:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7983064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/superna_tau_ral91/pseuds/superna_tau_ral91
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thomas, a graphic designer starting out in a new workplace and new location, thanks to his sister's help, doesn't know what surprises may come up in his life. And it is with these surprises that make him feel all the more proud to be who he is, and to really enjoy life to the fullest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sign Language Guide

**Author's Note:**

> This is something of a small personal project I'd like to do... and to bring my contributions to the Maze Runner pool of fanfictions with my own flair. Some of the authors whose works I've read here in AO3 had rekindled my drive to write a fanfiction once again. (And it's not just in the Maze Runner fandom, it's also in Supernatural fandom as well lol.)

American Sign Language (ASL) is a language of the Deaf generally used in the USA (and Canada), and is also my second language. Please read the ASL guidelines with an open mind.

Other countries have their own sign language systems, even South Korea (KSL), Japan (JSL), France (LSF), the UK (BSL), and many others. In this case, I am using American Sign Language here to express the story dialogues, because it is the only Sign Language I am comfortable to type in and think in. However, there will be some foreign Sign Languages, in which I may type out the phrases themselves, but translation will be provided for the sake of international readers.

There will often be occasions when Deaf Speech (as in Deaf person trying to speak with words) is involved, but to many of you, it is indecipherable. You will see some words in which some ASL users in the story, will say that looks absolutely strange to you. It is not meant to be mockingly funny, but rather to be accepted with an understanding that the Deaf Speech and Sign Language are components of a different language system separate of the English language. I understand that it may seem weird to you as you read along, but these make up the essence of the Deaf language, most notably the Sign Language. 

Simultaneous Communication is involved, and most times, it's tricky to have ASL Hands, English Voice, and ASL/English Brain. Believe me, I know. I've kind of mastered the technique at it.

I myself am Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing so I wear Hearing Aids; I grew up attending mainstream schools and bilingually at that. I have grown up listening (with my eyes and ears) and communicating with my DHH/H friends. 

PLEASE NOTE: Not all signers (it is not just Deaf people in the story that knows how to sign) follow pure ASL, because of either their “hearing” mindsets or their integration with mainstreamed schools; but there are some who use pure ASL grammar.

[ANYTHING WRITTEN IN BETWEEN BRACKETS ARE TO BE NOTED THAT IT IS IN (AMERICAN) SIGN LANGUAGE]

 

VARIATION IN BRACKETS CAN MEAN IT IS A {PERSONAL DIALOGUE} OR [OPEN DIALOGUE]

 

<WHEN YOU NOTICE THESE BRACKETS, IT IS IN A FOREIGN SIGN LANGUAGE>  
 

[ **BOLDED WORDS/PHRASES** ] = SIGN(S) HAS/HAVE A DRAMATIC MOTION, WHETHER FAST OR SLOW

 

[WORD(S)/PHRASE] = SIGN(S) THAT ARE USUALLY ONE-HANDED HAVE TWO HANDS FOR EMPHASIS OR APPLICATION TO THE PUBLIC.

 

["CONCEPTUAL-PHRASES-ARE-EXPRESSED-FIGURATIVELY-OR-REPRESENTED-BY-CLASSIFIERS"]

 

_(Translations will be provided right after the brackets…Most times. Unless the brackets are accompanied with speech dialogues.)_

 

[VERB(+)(++)(+++)] = SIGN(S) HAVE AN INFLECTION; (+) CONTINUOUSLY, (++) INDIVIDUALLY, (+++) TO THE FULL EXTENT

 

[NOUN(++)] = PLURALITY OF A SIGN IN A SPACE  
 

[NUMBER-NOUN) = AMOUNT OF SIGN(S) INDICATED IN THE SPACE

 

[WORD-WORD] = OFTEN INDICATIONS OF ONE SIGN THAT CORRESPONDS LOCATION/TIME WITH PEOPLE/OBJECTS AND DIRECTIVE VERBS  
 

[^(WORD/PHRASE)^] = INDICATES EYEBROWS BEING RAISED UP AS AN INFLECTING TONE MARKER WITH A  YES/NO QUESTION

 

[v(WORD/PHRASE)v] = INDICATES EYEBROWS BEING FURROWED AS AN INFLECTING TONE MARKER WITH AN INQUISITIVE QUESTION (WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, WHICH, HOW (MUCH/MANY/OLD))

 

[#WORD] = INDICATES A LEXICALIZED WORD, NOT NECESSARILY FINGERSPELLING BUT THERE IS A SORT OF MOTION THAT GOES WITH FINGERSPELLING THE WORD WITH FLUIDITY.

 

[ _^(WORD/PHRASE)^_ ] = INDICATES EYEBROWS BEING RAISED UP AND HEAD TILTED SLIGHTLY AS AN INFLECTING TONE MARKER WITH A RHETORICAL QUESTION.

 

[~(WORD)/(PHRASE(S))~] = INDICATES EYEBROWS RAISED TO SIGNIFY A TAKE-NOTE CONDITION, OR CAN BE ACCOMPANIED WITH A BLINK (*) INBETWEEN TO SIGNIFY AN IF-THEN CONDITION.

 

[fs(WORD/PHRASE)] = FINGERSPELLING THE WORD/PHRASE ~~(because who has time to put hyphens between each freaking letter????like what even???)~~

 

[ns(NAME)] = NAME SIGN

 

[sh(WORD/PHRASE)] = INDICATES HEAD SHAKING TO MAKE A STATEMENT NEGATIVE OR A DISMISSAL TONE

 

[WORD/WORD] <"PHRASE"/"PHRASE"> = THE "/" INDICATES THE SHIFT OF BODY TO PORTRAY A NUMBER OF PERSPECTIVES

 

[nh(WORD/PHRASE)] = INDICATES HEAD NODDING TO MAKE A STATEMENT POSITIVE OR AN ENCOURAGING TONE

 

[*SENTENCE IN ASTERISKS*] = INCLUSION OF BODY GESTURES AND FACIAL EXPRESSIONS SUCH AS POINTING

 

[PHRASE "?"] = LITERALLY, THE QUESTION MARKER, BUT YOU DON'T EXACTLY TRACE OUT THE QUESTION MARK; THE PHRASE POSES ITSELF AS A QUESTION TO BE ASKED TO SOMEONE. IT IS DONE SO BY BENDING YOUR INDEX FINGER SEVERAL TIMES, LIKE ONE WOULD IF THEY WERE TO SCRATCH THEIR NOSE.


End file.
